The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday claimed that the BJP-led Central Government had pasted demolition notices on the walls of four temples in the national Capital.
AAP leader and MLA from Kalkaji Atishi has alleged that the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has sent demolition notices to four temples including Prachin Shiv Mandir, Sai Mandir in H-block, and Shani Mandir in J-block in Sarojini Nagar.
"A few days ago the BJP government gave the order to run bulldozers on the Neelkanth Mahadev temple in Delhi's Srinivaspuri locality," she said during a press conference. “The move was intended to extort money,” she further alleged. The AAP leader also shared a copy of the notice that was purportedly issued by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs ,. "These are being pasted on the gate of the temples," she added, sharing a photo. A notice, she alleged, had been pasted on a historical Shiva temple in Sarojini Nagar.
Alongside, notices have also been pasted on a Sai temple in the 'H Block' area as well as a Shani temple in the 'J Block' area. “In 1991, the then Lieutenant Governor had laid down clear and direct orders which specified that if and when the demolition of a religious establishment is to take place, the final decision on the matter lies in the hands of the Religious Affairs Committee,” said Atishi.
“On the other hand, none of the cases of the temples which have been threatened with demolition by the BJP had been taken to any religious affairs committee whatsoever. These temples were hence issued demolition notices without any due process, simply for the BJP to meet its money-minded ends, and to continue its hooliganism and loot across the state,” said Atishi.
“The Prachin Shiv Mandir and Sai Mandir in Sarojini Nagar are all at least over three decades old, and are the abode for the faith of many locals. There are significant redevelopment projects taking place in the area due to which people have shifted away.
Despite this, the people travel long distances to come back to these temples on all kinds of occasions, during festivals and weddings, because of how deeply connected their faith is to these places of worship,” said Atishi.